Supply Chain Manager

Oversees the entire flow of goods — from raw materials to the customer's doorstep.

Did you know?

In 1956, Malcom McLean's ship Ideal X carried 58 containers to Houston, cutting loading costs from $5.86 to 16 cents a ton.

Mathematics: Calculate how much stock to keep so shelves stay full without wasting warehouse space.
Economics: Weigh the cost of shipping by sea, air or road against how fast goods are needed.
Geography: Plan routes and pick warehouse locations that get goods around the world quickly.
Business Studies: Negotiate with suppliers and keep deliveries flowing when a factory has a delay.

Taiichi Ohno: Japanese engineer who created the Toyota Production System, with 'just-in-time' supply of parts.

Pick two pairs of towns or cities: one pair close together and one pair far apart. Find the distance between each pair.
Using the made-up speeds on the card, work out how many hours each trip would take by truck, train and plane.
Now choose how to send three things: fresh flowers, a load of bricks and one urgent medicine. Would you pick the fastest option every time?
Write one sentence for each choice explaining why, thinking about speed, cost and size.

Logistics managers and freight brokers weigh speed against cost for every load, and rarely pick a plane unless the goods are urgent or perishable.

Also try: Match a family to a home.

Germany, Netherlands, Singapore, USA, China